Show us your bench vice(s)

[SteveB58]

they're wooden patterns, painted as patterns usually are, made of mahogany or similar, as common, just light wear, but the pattern stores usually did take good care of their stock

Thanks, I had mistaken the wood colour for rust. I seem to remember castings being painted according to the finishing required. Red ment no machining needed, yellow, surface to be machined on final casting and black was something else, well it has been 40 years.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

they're wooden patterns, painted as patterns usually are, made of mahogany or similar, as common, just light wear, but the pattern stores usually did take good care of their stock

Few years ago I looked after a foundry, long closed now.

But the patterns they had ranged from old fashioned wood, plastic and alloy.

The woods were all close grain or slow grown hard wood.
Most had layers of filler or paint finished to a smooth tolerance.
The plastic and alloys ones were modern versions of the wood.

All painted to indicate the finish. Plus the paint would indicate what grade sand was used in the mould.

Each one had it's own number, broken down into separate number for each part.
This was entered into a leather bound ledger. Plus onto a old computer.

There are pattern makers making a return.
But still only a few.

The best foundry I did was a bell foundry in Whitechapel.
Shame that has gone.
Their last big cast was for a peel of bells for a church in Malta.

 

[SteveB58]

Few years ago I looked after a foundry, long closed now.

But the patterns they had ranged from old fashioned wood, plastic and alloy.

The woods were all close grain or slow grown hard wood.
Most had layers of filler or paint finished to a smooth tolerance.
The plastic and alloys ones were modern versions of the wood.

All painted to indicate the finish. Plus the paint would indicate what grade sand was used in the mould.

Each one had it's own number, broken down into separate number for each part.
This was entered into a leather bound ledger. Plus onto a old computer.

There are pattern makers making a return.
But still only a few.

The best foundry I did was a bell foundry in Whitechapel.
Shame that has gone.
Their last big cast was for a peel of bells for a church in Malta.

I had good mates in HMNB Portsmouth pattern shop and foundry, all now long gone thanks to 81 defence cuts. I remember one of the pattern makers making a pattern for a pair of lanterns on HMS Victory. They were duly cast, Norman went down to see the results. "They came out lovely," said the fettler, "Had a bit of trouble with the bottom." Norm had carefully carved shells, anchors and rope into the design only for it all to be ground off the casting. As far as I know they are still on the Victory.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

I had good mates in HMNB Portsmouth pattern shop and foundry, all now long gone thanks to 81 defence cuts. I remember one of the pattern makers making a pattern for a pair of lanterns on HMS Victory. They were duly cast, Norman went down to see the results. "They came out lovely," said the fettler, "Had a bit of trouble with the bottom." Norm had carefully carved shells, anchors and rope into the design only for it all to be ground off the casting. As far as I know they are still on the Victory.

The pattern shop, pattern store was still there in 1991.

There are patterns dating back for years.
Rumour stated that some of the patterns had been used on The Mary Rose for her ship boat Rowlocks. There are rowlocks patterns there, but who knows.
The patterns are of the age style. Think of a Brake pipe spanner, not the modern "C" shapes ones.
The issues is back then, the rowlocks were mostly 2 poles in the boat.

They had cast for spanners, to deck jacks. When I was kicking my Heels drafted to FO Pompy, you got to bimble round those places.
Like The Rope walk and the grog tub store.

 

[SteveB58]

The pattern shop, pattern store was still there in 1991.

There are patterns dating back for years.
Rumour stated that some of the patterns had been used on The Mary Rose for her ship boat Rowlocks. There are rowlocks patterns there, but who knows.
The patterns are of the age style. Think of a Brake pipe spanner, not the modern "C" shapes ones.
The issues is back then, the rowlocks were mostly 2 poles in the boat.

They had cast for spanners, to deck jacks. When I was kicking my Heels drafted to FO Pompy, you got to bimble round those places.
Like The Rope walk and the grog tub store.

Pattern shop closed in 83? the last castings were around the same time. I was based afloat on frigates, destroyers, carriers etc and we had a small workshop to the rear of the foundry. I left in 88 and not been back since about 90/91 for the Festival of the Sea. Looking at Google Earth it appears that many of the docks have gone, my workshop is now a carpark. It was a great place to work, the craftsmanship was unbelievable, second to none. Now all gone, privatised and carved up.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Pattern shop closed in 83? the last castings were around the same time. I was based afloat on frigates, destroyers, carriers etc and we had a small workshop to the rear of the foundry. I left in 88 and not been back since about 90/91 for the Festival of the Sea. Looking at Google Earth it appears that many of the docks have gone, my workshop is now a carpark. It was a great place to work, the craftsmanship was unbelievable, second to none. Now all gone, privatised and carved up.

I was kicking around Pompey in 88. The dockyard lost a lot in 83, but the pattern store was still there.

The whole yard has changed, so has the town around it.

So many skills have been lost.

 

[dannysheff]

I was kicking around Pompey in 88. The dockyard lost a lot in 83, but the pattern store was still there.

The whole yard has changed, so has the town around it.

So many skills have been lost.

Rosyth and Barrow (and Cardiff?) navy works had their own foundries until late 90s, but output was almost all copper-based (marine bronzes and brasses to naval spec). I believe much of the steel and nickel-based casting for the navy (at least the large stuff) was moved from in-house to Mather & Platt Manchester and Weir Glasgow - as you both will know, patterns were often owned by the customer so could be moved to a different foundry. I think less and less cast iron for modern boats.

There was also a big alu fdry just inland from Pompey/S'ton - did much ministry work (GE fdry?)

Anyway, back to vices.

 

[SteveB58]

I was kicking around Pompey in 88. The dockyard lost a lot in 83, but the pattern store was still there.

The whole yard has changed, so has the town around it.

So many skills have been lost.

Not much a a Navy anymore. 19 ships, something like that. I did an interview with a Portsmouth University lecturer last week on how the yard had influenced my subsequent career. He is been doing them for some time with a view to writing a book on post industrialisation. I don't know what he was expecting, but he said he was amazed at how articulate and intelligent the workforce were.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Not much a a Navy anymore. 19 ships, something like that. I did an interview with a Portsmouth University lecturer last week on how the yard had influenced my subsequent career. He is been doing them for some time with a view to writing a book on post industrialisation. I don't know what he was expecting, but he said he was amazed at how articulate and intelligent the workforce were.

Not much of any armed forces any more.

The dockies ranged from grunts to a good listen too when you talked to them.
I have a book, in the loft, about the Navy trains in the yards. The pictures show so much has gone. But a lot remains.

A few years ago I was In what was St Vincent.
Oh my. the arch remains. The building too. But the modern fixtures and fittings are like a sore thumb.
Mercury is the same.

 

[SteveB58]

Not much of any armed forces any more.

The dockies ranged from grunts to a good listen too when you talked to them.
I have a book, in the loft, about the Navy trains in the yards. The pictures show so much has gone. But a lot remains.

A few years ago I was In what was St Vincent.
Oh my. the arch remains. The building too. But the modern fixtures and fittings are like a sore thumb.
Mercury is the same.

First day in the yard was nearly my last. Got my bike wheel stuck in the track, unable to turn when I heard a train behind me. It's surprising how fast you can move. The trains went by about 1980. Never went to Mercury, Petersfield?, and Vincent was Gosport? name after the training ship I take it? Worked at the diving tower at Dolphin while an apprentice, and Phoenix for fire fighter training.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Guzz kept the trains for a bit longer, but they went.
Yes , right on the locations.

Phoenix, dumping ground for surplus stokers. Hee hee.

Whale island had the Field gun workshops, only place I ever saw shell case vices. But when they moved Royal Arthur there the scraped the lot.
Diving tower, breath out and don't fart.
Done that.
But I never got my Dolphins.

 

[optima21]

can I leave this here,

wrong on so many levels to the engineers out there, but its perfect for my needs for model making, and when sat down Im filing at eye level so its much easier to see what Im doing.

 

[SteveB58]

Guzz kept the trains for a bit longer, but they went.
Yes , right on the locations.

Phoenix, dumping ground for surplus stokers. Hee hee.

Whale island had the Field gun workshops, only place I ever saw shell case vices. But when they moved Royal Arthur there the scraped the lot.
Diving tower, breath out and don't fart.
Done that.
But I never got my Dolphins.

Loved my time in the yard, the apprenticeships were the best in the world, they sent you to college to get further qualifications and the job could be interesting. Unfortunately the pay was bloody awful. When I left as a master craftsman I was on just about £100 a week. Four years later starting as a primary school teacher I was on 3 times that. We don't value technical know how in this country. You resent paying a plumber £60 an hour, yet don't question paying a solicitor £500 to write a letter.

 

[Arc Tourist]

can I leave this here,

wrong on so many levels to the engineers out there, but its perfect for my needs for model making, and when sat down Im filing at eye level so its much easier to see what Im doing.

View attachment 279541

I see nothing wrong there. Just because its not of vintage manufacture, doesn't mean its not fit for purpose. If you are happy with it, that's all that counts.

 

[Barking Mat]

can I leave this here,

wrong on so many levels to the engineers out there, but its perfect for my needs for model making, and when sat down Im filing at eye level so its much easier to see what Im doing.

View attachment 279541

my dad's used something similar for years, serves his model making purposes fine.

just a question of scale.

 

[Barking Mat]

my dad's used something similar for years, serves his model making purposes fine.

just a question of scale.

That makes it sound like he's dead, he's still using something similar.

 

[optima21]

my dad's used something similar for years, serves his model making purposes fine.

just a question of scale.

you can see that just to the left of the vice (well they are scales), the smaller a boat gets the lighter it needs to be

 

[Laurie Tedcastle]

Thanks Laurie, nice to hear something that's not 3rd hand. Was Ajax still a brand sold by Herbert ( from the same maker) when you were there?

Could ask more questions from an ex-Herbert man but that's it for now.

I don't recall anything about Ajax vices and I also can't now find my old HSTE catalogue. Happy to attempt to answer any other Herbert questions you may have, but the little grey cells that supposedly contain memories/facts seem to be getting a little fogged up these days. Worked there from 63 to 79 and then back in the mid 80s as a consultant.

Laurie

 

[dannysheff]

Here's the big (6in jaws) Geo Blair "DoublePower AllSteel" on its new stand with a lick of paint and an old set of Python fibre over-jaws. I made a cover out of a bit of lorry tarp.

ps that's not rust showing through, I keep an oily rag or two under the tarp - shoulda wiped it off

 

[cr500dom]

Loving that vice stand @dannysheff